City of Saginaw

Minutes of the City Council Meeting

Held on October 1, 2024

333 West McLeroy Boulevard, Saginaw, Texas 76179

Present at the Meeting:

  • Todd Flippo, Mayor
  • Paul Felegy, Mayor Pro-Tem, Place 1
  • Nick Lawson, Place 2
  • Valerie Junkersfeld, Place 3
  • Brack St. Clair, Place 4
  • Cindy Bighorse, Place 5
  • Mary Copeland, Place 6
  • Bryn Meredith, City Attorney 
  • Gabe Reaume, City Manager
  • Lee Howell, Asst. City Manager
  • Kim Quin, Finance Director
  • Elizabeth Thorp, Finance Manager 
  • Janice England, City Secretary 
  • Russell Ragsdale, Police Chief
  • Corey Burnett, Police Lieutenant
  • Doug Spears, Fire Chief
  • Randy Newsom, Director of Public Works
  • Keith Rinehart, Director of Community & Economic Development
  • Melanie McManus, Director of Human Resources
  • Ellen Ritchie, Library Director
  • Pedro Zambrano, Communications Manager

Absent from the Meeting:

  • Trenton Tidwwell, P.E., City Engineer 

Visitors at the Meeting: 

  • Judy Deller
  • Michael Hill
  • Fred Besco
  • Glenn Reeves
  • Jeree Reames
  • David Reames
  • Dale Reed
  • Pastor Mark Towns
  • Ronnie Horton
  • Matt Regan
  • John Gant
  • Duane Mann
  • Kristi Dean
  • Jana Marsh
  • Cpl. Rodriguez
  • Sgt. Gonzalez
  • Cpl. Osteen
  • Mattie Osteen 
  • Ofcr. Soriano
  • Ofcr. Renner
  • Ofcr. Barber

1. Call To Order

1.A. Call To Order--Todd Flippo, Mayor

Mayor Flippo called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

1.B. Pledges--Pledge of Allegiance to the United States; Pledge of Allegiance to the State of Texas--"Honor the Texas Flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one State under God, one and indivisible"

1.C. Invocation--Dr. Mark Towns, First Baptist Church

Dr. Mark Towns gave the invocation.

1.D. Audience Participation--Anyone wishing to speak during the discussion of an item listed on the agenda must complete an audience participation form. These forms are located by the Police Chief. After completing the form, give it to the City Secretary. She will give it to the Mayor. The Mayor will call on you when that item is discussed. You will have three (3) minutes to make your comments.

2. Consent Agenda

Motion was made by Councilmember Junkersfeld with a second by Mayor Pro-Tem Felegy to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. 7-0-0-0

2.A. Action regarding Minutes, September 17, 2024--Janice England, City Secretary

2.B. Action regarding Minutes, September 23, 2024--Joint Workshop--City Council & Advisory Recreation & Parks Board--Janice England, City Secretary

2.C. Action regarding Ordinance No. 2024-23, Industrial Waste Ordinance Amendment--Matt Regan, Enviromental/Drainage Manager

The Fort Worth City Council amended their Pretreatment Program with approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Each Fort Worth Wholesale Customer City is required to modify their ordinance to meet the obligations of the Pretreatment Program by October 31, 2024. Newly adopted changes in the ordinance require industrial customers found to have wastewater containing PFAS (Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances) compounds above the background level of 25 ng/L (established from the collection system monitoring) to implement a PFAS Management Plan for Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) for identifying and eliminating sources of these substances within one year of PFAS detection and notification. Proposed Ordinance No. 2024-23 addresses the required amendments. It has been reviewed by the City Attorney.

2.D. Action regarding the 2024 Holiday Event Drone Show -- Pedro Zambrano, Communications Manager

The Advisory Recreation & Parks Board unanimously voted to recommend the use of $24,000 from the Parks Donation Fund for a drone show by FlyLight Drones, LLC after the parade and tree lighting ceremony. The show will include a brand new design lasting ten to twelve minutes with a total of 250 drones. This is the same cost as the 2023 show.

2.E. Action regarding amendment to STW, Inc/OpenGov Software Agreement--Kim Quin, Finance Director

The City has used financial management software provided by STW, Inc. (purchased by OpenGov) for many years. The latest agreement approved by the City Council on November 5, 2019 was for the period of 10/01/2019 through 9/30/2024. We have been notified that the current software is being phased out. The City will have to convert to the cloud based OpenGov software or change software vendors. The proposed amendment extends the current software agreement by one year to allow staff to evaluate and plan for conversion to a new software system. The cost is $18,033.75 and is included in the Fiscal Year 2024/2025 budget.

3. Proclamations-Presentations

3.A. Employee Recognitions/Presentations- Gabe Reaume, City Manager

Police Chief Ragsdale recognized Corporal Will Osteen who was promoted to his position earlier this year. A ceremonial badge pinning by Mattie Osteen, Corporal Osteen's wife, followed.

Police Lieutenant Burnett recognized the many volunteers from the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and the Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Association (CPAAA) as well as Police Department employees that assisted with the July 4th event. He expressed his appreciation for their assistance. He presented Certifications of Appreciation to the volunteers and Certificates of Commendation to the employees.

3.B. Proclamation--Saginaw Day of Prayer, October 18, 2024--Todd Flippo, Mayor

Councilmember Junkersfeld read a proclamation declaring Friday, October 18, 2024 to be "Saginaw Day of Prayer".

4. Business

4.A. Discussion of Debt Capacity--Kim Quin, Finance Director

Finance Director Quin gave a presentation on the City's debt capacity as well as the effect of any additional debt issued before 2034 on the tax rate. Future bond elections as well as other considerations regarding future debt issuance and factors that would affect the tax rate were discussed.

4.B. Consideration and Action regarding Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement with Fuel City Saginaw, LLC--Randy Newsom, Director of Public Works, & Keith Rinehart, Director of Community & Economic Development

Director of Public Works Newsom explained that the proposed Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement is with Fuel City Saginaw, LLC. The agreement will incentivize Fuel City to maximize their sales tax receipts, which they believe will increase as a direct result of the future improvement of the intersection of Blue Mound Road and Industrial Blvd. Fuel City Saginaw, LLC hired a third party consultant and project manager to secure Texas Department of Transportation funding to make this project happen. The agreement will rebate 1% of sales tax collections back to Fuel City Saginaw, LLC each year for five years, up to a not-to-exceed amount of $250,000 until 2029. The sales tax collections for 2024 will serve as a base year, so Fuel City Saginaw, LLC must bring in receipts higher than 2024 in order to receive any reimbursement.

Motion was made by Councilmember Lawson with a second by Councilmember Junkersfeld to approve the Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement with Fuel City Saginaw, LLC as presented. Motion carried unanimously. 7-0-0-0

4.C. Consideration and Action regarding the addition of a Public Comment Item to Future City Council Agendas--Bryn Meredith, City Attorney

The addition of a public comment item to future City Council agendas was discussed. City Attorney Meredith explained the various options to consider. Following discussion, the consensus of the City Council was to appoint a Sub Committee of three Councilmembers to review the options and make a recommendation to the City Council at a future meeting. Any Councilmembers interested in serving on the Sub Committee were asked to contact the Mayor.

4.D. Discussion/Presentation of City Manager End of Fiscal Year Performance Review from 9/17/2024 City Council Meeting--Gabe Reaume, City Manager

City Manager Reaume reviewed the feedback from his recent End of Fiscal Year Performance Review. He added that he wanted staff to be aware of the comments.

5. Executive Session

Mayor Flippo declared the meeting recessed into Executive Session at 7:13 p.m.

5.A. 551.071. Texas Government Code. Consultation with Attorney. The City Council may convene in executive session to conduct a private consultation with its attorney on any legally posted item, when the City Council seeks the advice of its attorney about pending or contemplated litigation, a settlement offer, or on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with the provisions of Chapter 551, including the following items:

5.B. Any Posted Item

5.C. 551.074 Texas Government Code. Personnel Matters. The City Council may convene in executive session to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee; or to hear a complaint or charge against an offer or employee, including deliberation regarding the following officers or employees:

5.D. 2023/2024 City Manager End of Fiscal Year Performance Review

Mayor Flippo declared the meeting back in Regular Session at 7:52 p.m.

6. Adjournment

6.A. Adjournment--Todd Flippo, Mayor

Motion was made by Councilmember St. Clair with a second by Councilmember Felegy to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously. 7-0-0-0

Mayor Flippo declared the October 1, 2024 City Council Meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m.